RIF orders require ID verification at checkout · Age 18+ only where legally permitted
BLACKSITE SUPPLY
Legal

Age Verification for RIF Orders

Last updated: [DATE]

This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. The exact defence route(s) we rely on below marked [CONFIRM] must be checked against our actual process by a solicitor before this page is relied on by customers or used as evidence of compliance.

The 18+ rule

RIFs (realistic imitation firearms) are age-restricted under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 ("VCRA"). We only sell RIFs to buyers we've verified are 18 or over. If you're under 18, you can still buy consumables and gear (BBs, gas, batteries, protective equipment) — just not a RIF.

How verification works

When your cart contains a RIF, checkout is blocked until you complete ID verification. We use a third-party identity verification service (Stripe Identity) to check a government-issued photo ID against your details and confirm your age. This happens once — after you're verified, future RIF orders don't need to repeat the check unless your verification expires or fails.

We do not store copies of your ID document. We store the verification result (verified, failed, or pending) and a reference ID from the verification provider.

The VCRA defence requirement

Selling a RIF in the UK is only lawful where a recognised defence under the VCRA applies to the buyer. The main defences relevant to airsoft retail are, broadly:

  • The buyer is a member of a third-party skirmish site or airsoft club registered with a recognised body such as UKARA, and can provide evidence of that membership. [CONFIRM — describe the exact evidence we require and how we check it, e.g. UKARA database lookup.]
  • The buyer qualifies under another statutory defence (for example: theatrical, film or TV production use; collectors; re-enactment society membership; Crown servants). [CONFIRM — describe how we assess and evidence these cases, if we accept them at all.]

If we can't establish that a recognised defence applies to you, we can't complete a RIF sale, and we'll cancel and refund that part of your order.

If verification fails

If ID verification fails or we can't establish a valid VCRA defence, we'll cancel the RIF item(s) from your order and refund you for them. Non-restricted items in the same order aren't affected.

Questions

If you're not sure whether you qualify under a VCRA defence, contact us at [CONTACT EMAIL] before ordering a RIF.